Garment and apparel shops
Billing software for garment and apparel shops
Bill dresses, knitwear, kids wear and uniforms at the counter or in bulk, take exchanges back into stock, buy the season from wholesalers on credit, and pay the seasonal staff, from one login.
In short
SimpleERP is billing software for garment and apparel shops. Counter and bulk invoices carry the tax per piece, exchanges become credit notes that restock the shelf, and stock, supplier dues and staff pay sit in one ledger.
Illustration of the keyboard-first invoice editor with a focused line, live tax totals and shortcut hints.
A day in a garment shop
At Oldham Street Clothing in Manchester, the doors open at ten and the fitting room queue starts by lunchtime. A mother picks four party dresses for a wedding, a student wants a knitted jumper in medium, and a man returns with a shirt bought on Sunday because the collar is a size too small.
Upstairs, the owner is on the phone with a wholesaler in Leicester about the winter lot of kids wear, and a primary school in Didsbury has asked for a quote on 300 sets of uniform. The second shop in Stockport calls to ask whether the blue dress in large is in the city centre, because a customer is waiting.
SimpleERP puts all of it in one place. Each counter bill takes stock out of the shop it was sold from, each exchange brings the piece back on a credit note, each supplier bill adds to what you owe the wholesaler, and the owner sees the day's sales and cash at closing.
Billing
A counter bill done before the customer reaches the till
The sales assistant types part of the product name, picks the size, enters the quantity and presses Enter. Price and tax come from the product, and the bill prints on A4 with your bank details so the customer can pay on the spot.
- Walk-in buyers go on a customer you name Counter sale; a business buying workwear in bulk gets its tax number on the bill.
- Line discount in percent or as an amount for the end-of-season markdown on a single piece.
- Payment recorded as cash, card or bank transfer, and the bill shows paid.
- A zero or reduced rate on the line for goods your country taxes differently, such as children's clothing in some countries.
Illustration of the keyboard-first invoice editor with a focused line, live tax totals and shortcut hints.
Tax and rates
The right rate on dresses, kids wear and uniforms
Clothing is usually taxed at the standard rate, but many countries make exceptions: some zero-rate children's clothing, some US states exempt most clothing from sales tax, and a few set the rate by the price of the piece. Set the rate on each product and check it with your accountant.
- Rate on the product, so the counter staff never pick it by hand.
- Change the rate on one line when a piece falls under a different rule from the product's usual one.
- Tax summary by rate under the lines and in the sales register for your return.
| Country | Adult clothing | Children's clothing |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | VAT at the standard rate | Mostly zero-rated, within size limits |
| United Arab Emirates | VAT at the standard rate | VAT at the standard rate |
| Australia | Goods and services tax at the standard rate | Same as adult clothing |
| United States | Sales tax set by each state; some exempt most clothing | Same rules as adult clothing |
| India | Rate set by the sale value per piece | Same rule as adult clothing |
Inventory
Stock by size, one product per size
SimpleERP has no size or colour variants. A dress in S, M, L and XL is four products with their own SKU, such as DRS-FLR-BLU-M, under one category. That is more rows to set up, but each size then has its own stock, reorder level and average cost.
- Import from a CSV file with name, SKU, size in the name, tax rate and opening stock.
- Categories such as Dresses, Knitwear, Kids wear and Uniforms keep the list filterable.
- Reorder level per size, so the medium that sells twice as fast is flagged first.
- Weighted average cost per size as lots from different suppliers arrive.
Illustration of stock on hand by warehouse at average cost, with a low-stock row highlighted and a movement ledger.
Purchase
Season buying from wholesalers on credit
Before the autumn range, the holidays and the back-to-school rush, the shop buys large lots on 60 to 90 days of credit. Each supplier bill brings the pieces into stock and adds to what you owe that supplier, with the tax you can reclaim recorded on the bill.
- Payables by supplier with the due date of each bill, so the owner knows what falls due after the season.
- Part payments against the oldest bills or the ones you choose.
- Debit note when a lot arrives with damaged or wrong-size pieces, which takes them out of stock.
Illustration of receivables ageing: 2,441 to collect across 5 buckets, with customer totals.
People
Seasonal staff and sales commission on the same payroll
Extra sales assistants join for the busy season and leave after it. Add them with a joining date, and the first and last month are pro-rated. Commission for the month goes on the draft payslip as an earnings line before you approve.
- Attendance marked for both shops in one tap, then the exceptions.
- Advances before the holidays recovered from the next payslips.
- Salary expense posted to the books when the run is approved.
Illustration of a payslip with Basic salary, Allowances, Bonus and net pay of 4,440.
By job
Garment and apparel shops by job
Inventory for garment shops
Stock per size and per shop, season lots from wholesalers at weighted average cost, and transfers between branches.
Read moreAccounting for garment shops
Daily counter cash and card, supplier dues after the season, bulk-order receivables and stock value in one double-entry ledger.
Read morePayroll for garment shops
Monthly pay for sales assistants, cashiers and seasonal staff, with commission on the payslip and advances recovered.
Read more
One system
The modules that do this work
A counter bill issues stock from the shop, posts the sale and the tax, and the receipt lands in cash or bank; an exchange reverses all of it on a credit note.
Invoicing & tax
Tax invoices with VAT, GST or sales tax on every line, numbered by fiscal year and posted in one step.
See howInventory
Stock on hand by warehouse at weighted average cost, with a movement ledger and a low-stock list.
See howPurchase
Purchase orders, supplier bills that receive stock, debit notes and payables.
See howPayments & receivables
Receipts and payments allocated oldest first, receivables and payables ageing, and statements.
See howPayroll
Salary structures, monthly runs and payslips with your earnings and deductions, posted to the books.
See howAccounting
A double-entry ledger with journals, bank registers, statements and a lock date.
See how
Honest limits
What SimpleERP does not do for garment shops yet
The first item is the one a clothing shop feels most, so weigh it before you start.
- Prices including tax. Enter the price before tax; the invoice adds the tax on top.
- No size or colour variants: each size, and each colour if you track it, is a separate product with its own SKU.
- No barcode scanning and no POS hardware such as receipt printers or cash drawers. Bills print on A4.
- No loyalty points, gift vouchers or multi-buy offers such as buy two get one; discounts are typed on the line.
- No sync with e-commerce marketplaces or your online store.
- E-invoicing or transport documents filed through a government system.
- Offline billing. SimpleERP is a web app and needs an internet connection.
Getting started
Start with your first invoice
Sign up with your email
Name, email and a password. No card for the seven-day trial.
Tell us about the business
Pick your country and, if you are registered, type your tax number. Accounts, tax rates, units, roles and numbering are seeded for that country.
Add what you sell
Import your products from a CSV file, one row per size, with SKU, category, tax rate and opening stock per shop, then create one customer for counter sales.
Post your first invoice
Pick the customer, add lines and save. Your first invoice can be out within 10 minutes of signing up.
FAQ
Questions, answered
How do I handle sizes without variants?
Make one product per size, and per colour if you want colour counted. Put the size at the end of the name and in the SKU, such as Floral dress blue M, and keep them under one category. Search on the bill finds them by any part of the name.
Which tax rate applies to a dress or a shirt?
Usually your country's standard VAT, GST or sales tax rate. The exceptions are about who it is for and what it costs: children's clothing is zero-rated in some countries, some US states exempt clothing below a price, and in India the rate depends on the sale value per piece. Set the rate on each product and change it on the line when a piece falls under a different rule. Rates differ by country and change, so confirm the rate for your goods with your accountant or tax authority before you rely on it.
How do I record an exchange at the counter?
Raise a credit note against the original bill for the piece that came back, which puts it back into stock, then bill the new piece. If the prices differ, the customer pays or gets back only the difference, and both documents stay linked.
Can one shop see the other shop's stock?
Yes. Each shop is a branch with its own warehouse, and the stock screen shows each size in every shop. When Stockport needs a piece from the city centre shop, a transfer moves it with a printed note.
Related
Keep reading
Retail
Counter invoices paid on the spot, stock by store with a low-stock list, and the day's cash and bank.
Read moreTextiles & garments
Fabric to garment bills of materials, stock by warehouse, invoices with the right tax and payroll.
Read moreInventory
Stock on hand by warehouse at weighted average cost, with a movement ledger and a low-stock list.
Read moreInventory for garment shops
Stock per size and per shop, season lots from wholesalers at weighted average cost, and transfers between branches.
Read more
Run your whole business from one simple place.
Seven days free. No card. Your first invoice in minutes.